A Week at Las Segadas Lodge:
Fishing the Rio Grande in Patagonia

There’s fly fishing in remote places. Then there’s Las Segadas Lodge – a historic Chilean estancia turned five-star lodge, hidden on the western reaches of the Rio Grande, where sea-run brown trout can push twenty pounds and you won't see another angler, beyond your lodge comrades, all week.

We've written about fishing the Rio Grande previously and have edited that article (as of July 2025) to include mention of this new lodge and estancia.

This is the full journey – from Dallas to Santiago, down to Tierra del Fuego, and into one of the most exclusive fly fishing destinations in South America.

Please note that flight schedules are subject to change and you should search these routes to check accuracy for the dates of your booking.

Saturday: Depart Dallas for Chile

Your adventure begins on Saturday evening with American Airlines Flight AA945 out of Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), departing around 7:25pm. It’s a direct overnight flight to Santiago, Chile (SCL) – just over 9 hours in the air, cruising into the Southern Hemisphere. It's a great flight schedule if you can sleep on planes.

Sunday Morning: Arrive in Santiago & Connect South

You land in Santiago at 7:50am local time. After clearing immigration and customs, you’ll transfer to the domestic terminal – a quick 10–15 minute walk or shuttle ride. Santiago’s airport is modern and easy to navigate.

There’s time to grab coffee and breakfast at the terminal before your next leg.

Midday: Fly to Punta Arenas

Board LATAM Flight LA311 at 12:30pm for a 4-hour journey to Punta Arenas, the southernmost major city in Chile. On a clear day, you’ll see the Andes, volcanoes, glaciers, and open Patagonian steppe from your window seat.

Note: There's a technical stop of 50 minutes in Puerto Montt with the LA311 schedule, but unless you want to arrive into Santiago and explore the city a day earlier, this is the only flight that allows you to get into Punta Arenas in time for your DAP connection to the lodge. 

You’ll land in Punta Arenas at around 5:15pm, where a member of the Las Segadas Lodge team is waiting to collect your gear, welcome you, and direct you to your quick DAP Airlines flight to the lodge.

Evening: Final Hop to Tierra del Fuego

At 6:00pm DAP Airlines Flight 38, a twin-prop flight, takes you 45 minutes across the Strait of Magellan and down to Pampa Guanaco airstrip in far southern Chile on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (translates to 'Big Island of the Land of Fire' in English).

Your fishing guides will meet you at the airstrip in rugged 4WD trucks and transport you the quick drive inland to the lodge, just in time for a relaxing dinner, drinks and introductions. On the way, you'll pass herds of guanacos (considered to be ancestors of the domesticated llama), endless grasslands, and snow-capped ridge lines in the distance.

A guanaco herd grazes the estancia grasslands.

Sunday Night: Welcome Dinner at the Lodge

Now where were we? ... Ah, dinner ... you may arrive to the smell of cordero al palo – traditional Patagonian lamb roasted over open fire (although don't be surprised if the chef substitutes this with other seasonal fare to suit the weather). Dinner is served with carefully selected fine Chilean wines, fresh salads, and homemade bread. Dessert and drinks follow by the fire.

Las Segadas Lodge is a restored estancia house with five-star comfort in each of the five ensuite double bedrooms: pillow menus, fine glassware, warm fires, and thick duvets. You'll sleep deeply, ready for the days ahead.

Monday to Saturday: Fly Fishing the Rio Grande

Each morning starts with coffee and a cooked breakfast  – perhaps you choose the eggs, bacon, stewed fruit, and Chilean bread, or settle for a lighter fare to start your engine. You may wish to connect with the outside world via the Lodge's fast Starlink connection before heading away for the day. Then it’s time to suit up in waders, and head down to the river with your guide.

You’ll have the choice to fish a variety of water including many miles of private Rio Grande water, with no one else in sight. Most days are a mix of walk-and-wade. You may also choose to fish other smaller creeks and streams on the estancia with your experienced local guide. You’ll cast to wild sea-run brown trout up to 20 lbs, using streamers, or nymphs and dry flies depending on river conditions.

The Rio Grande at Estancia Las Segadas is a gravel-bottomed, low-gradient river with excellent walk-and-wade access. It flows broad and steady through a wide valley, with classic structure: undercut banks, subtle riffles, tailouts, and soft inside bends. The footing is firm, the flow is forgiving, and the water is perfect for both swinging and dead-drifting flies – a dream setup for anglers of all levels.

Expect to use your Trout Spey (Switch) rod of 11+ feet in 4-7wt or a single handed 8-10wt. Your 13ft 8-9wt Spey rod is unlikely to see time on the smaller, more defined pools of the Rio Grande that run through the estancia.

At Las Segadas Lodge, the team understands why you’re here: to fish. Unlike some lodges further east on the Argentine side of the Rio Grande – where long lunches and extended midday breaks are the norm – Las Segadas offers the option to enjoy lunch riverside, without losing precious fishing time.

A sheltered lunch setup is provided right on the riverbank, protected from the often-blowing westerly breeze, with hot soup, fresh bread, fruit, and a thermos of coffee or mate. It’s hearty, simple, and keeps you close to the action during prime fishing hours.

Of course, if you prefer a more relaxed pace, you’re always welcome to return to the lodge for a full sit-down lunch, then head back to the river refreshed for an evening session.

The wildlife remains a constant during the week with a range of birdlife and herds of guanaco, and grey fox sightings, all visible from the river banks.

Evenings: Patagonian Hospitality

After fishing, return to fireside drinks and multi-course dinners. A few examples from the week: Carne Asada grilled over wood embers under the stars, seafood from the Chilean coast: shellfish and hake cooked with white wine and garlic – always paired with Chilean reds and whites, or a non-alcoholic beverage of your choosing (they ask for preferences ahead of your arrival), and followed by dessert and more good stories.

Sunday: Departure from the Wild

Your final day at Las Segadas Lodge isn’t just about packing up – you still get time on the water.

After an early breakfast, you head out for a last morning session on the Rio Grande, swinging your favorite run one final time. Some guests choose to fish right through until mid-afternoon, soaking in every last cast. Others return to the lodge for a long lunch and set aside the afternoon to relax and start preparing for the journey home.

A farewell lunch is served at the lodge (or enjoyed one final time by the river for the die-hards), then final farewells with the lodge team – before rods are broken down, gear is packed, and you set off with the guides for a short drive to Pampa Guanaco airfield.

At 7:00pm, you board the DAP Flight 39 back to Punta Arenas, arriving around 8:00pm There, you’ll check in to the impressive Hotel Cabo de Hornos in the city center – a stylish and welcoming hotel near the waterfront. This historical hotel is currently getting a major refit and will reopen for the 25/26 summer. Here you can enjoy a relaxed dinner and a chance to repack and reflect on your week in one of the most remote and rewarding fly fishing destinations on Earth.

Monday: Return to Dallas

In the morning, catch LATAM Flight LA306, departing at a leisurely 10:25am and arriving in Santiago before 2pm.

After a relaxed afternoon layover in Santiago, and perhaps a quick taxi ride to explore Santiago city and grab an early dinner, you board American Airlines Flight AA940 around 11pm, arriving back in Dallas early Tuesday morning. The flight is scheduled to land at 6.10am at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Airport.

Plan Your Trip to Las Segadas Lodge

This is one of the world’s most remote and rewarding fly fishing destinations – private water, world-class sea trout, a variety of other fishing options from resident rainbows, spring runs of king salmon up the Río Blanco, brook trout and brown trout in estancia tributaries, plus the stunning Patagonian wilderness and true Chilean hospitality.

Fishing at Las Segadas Lodge is only available through Isolation Outfitters. Email 'fish [at] isolationoutfitters.com' or visit their Lodge page on Las Segadas Lodge to learn more and contact them to check lodge availability for February and March 2026.

Join me for a hosted week at Las Segadas Lodge –
February 1–8, 2026

I’m hosting the first official week of the season at Las Segadas Lodge and you're invited. We’ve secured exclusive access from February 1–8, 2026, for our small group of six anglers (max) to fish this legendary sea trout river during the estancia's opening week.

This is your chance to experience the Rio Grande at its freshest, when the water is rested, the fish are aggressive, and the lodge doors open for the very first time.

Contact Isolation Outfitters or Southflyfisher for the details on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

An angler fishes a Rio Grande tributary as storm clouds build over Estancia Las Segadas.